Note: I don't want to advocate going into Goodwill and clearing the shelves of all the good stuff in the store. Please be considerate of other shoppers. Personally, I only buy things my family will use and enjoy and when we are done using them then I consider selling those items.

Which do you enjoy more: thrifting or making money? What if you can combine your love for both? Today I wanted to share some items you can purchase at a thrift store and sell for major profit.

Flipping thrift store items is a great way to earn a little extra cash to pad your emergency fund. I don't usually purchase things from a thrift store with the intent to sell. Instead, I purchase items for my family to enjoy and then when we are finished with them I will list them on eBay or Craigslist.

Name brand clothing.

This past winter I was at my local Goodwill where I saw a gorgeous, purple Ralph Lauren sweater. It was, like everything else at my Goodwill, $3.99. And it was my size. I snatched it up, took it home, wore it a few times and realized I wasn't in love with it.

It was just one of those items that appealed to me on a hanger but not in real life.

So I decided to flip it on eBay. I turned my $3.99 investment into a tidy profit in just a few days.

Toys.

My Goodwill often has tubs of legos, Melissa and Doug toys, dolls and puzzles, bags of Barbie clothes and dolls, Little People sets. The list goes on and on. Often these items are priced for under $3 and can be sold quickly at either a yard sale or on eBay.

My tip would be to sell toy items in a lot for maximum profit.

Broken tech.

I found a broken Kindle at a local charity store in town for just a few bucks. I did not buy it but later I saw a broken Kindle that sold for $28 on eBay.

I am CONSTANTLY amazed by the amount of profit I have made from broken tech on eBay. I sold my laptop that died for $150 and a broken iPod (the old school kind!) for $30!

Maternity clothes.

Inexpensive, cute and comfortable maternity clothes are like a commodity and I see them at Goodwill all the time.

I sold a maternity maxi dress (that I wore during my last pregnancy) and another shorter dress (that had been given to me) using the "buy it now" function on Ebay within hours of me listing them.

Since these items were name brand they sold quickly for around $8 each.

Cookware.

Cast iron cookware is expensive but lasts for ages. While cast iron might be expensive to ship via eBay you can also sell it on Craigslist for a nice profit or list it on a Facebook resale page.

I have seen cast iron skillets sell for $5 at Goodwill but it sells for $20 - $30 in resale. Plus it's very easy to clean even if it hasn't been properly cared for in the past.

Pyrex dishes.

I cannot tell you how many old Pyrex dishes I have seen at Goodwill and other thrift stores. And I am talking the vintage kind that your great Aunt Ida had.

You can list this on Etsy per piece or in a set and it sells like little hot cakes.

Handbags and shoes.

I have a friend who every few weeks hits up the thrift stores in her area for shoes and handbags that she then sells through some online second hand stores. She either does this for profit or store credit.

Just make sure you look for gently used items without major flaws or tears.

It just takes a little time and planning to turn a thrift store find into a major profit.

Frugal Debt Free Life

Frugal Debt Free Life is a blog for those looking to get out of debt, stay out of debt, save money and live a more simplistic life style.

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